Wednesday, September 29, 2010

I first just want to say thanks to any of you that are still out there reading. Hopefully you are all fearing well with this chilly weather we are having!

After hours of sitting in cold classrooms (oh when will they turn the heat on?) just to be greeted by the fact that I must walk outside to go to the next one, I have been in need some warmth. Sure, I layer my clothes liberally, but walking around like the abominable snowman does not always do the trick.

Sometimes the only remedy is warming from the inside out. That, my friends, is when I turn to soup.

...Smokey Split Green Pea and Sweet Potato Soup, specifically.

I honestly was not in love with it on the first day. It tasted great, but it was just missing something. I let the flavors meld for a day and BAM, head over heels. I finished off the last of the soup today, leaving me wanting more. I most definitely considered making another pot.

Are you a soup lover? I hated it as a kid (drink my dinner? puh-lease!), but now I see the light. Since I do not want to burn out on one kind of soup so early in the season, I am on the lookout for some great recipes or suggestions. Do you have any ideas? What is your favorite kind of soup?

Clearly soup is not the only evidence of my transition to fall. I have been absolutely crazy for squash lately. Seriously, I tried to not have any one day to lessen my chances of turning orange(homecoming is in a week after all), but I simply could not do it. Some people crave sweets, I crave squash. Story of my life.

To accompany my roasted buttercup squash, I made Curried Chickpeas and Parsnips. Oh my, the flavors worked so well together! Both dishes were savory while still retaining their natural sweetness. There will definitely be a repeat of this combo (and a recipe for you) in the future.

I think I am falling in love with Fall. Okay, maybe not the weather, but the food almost makes the cold bearable :). Not to mention there is nothing like the beauty of the leaves changing colors.

What is your favorite fall food? Winter squash hands down for me! But who am I kidding, kabocha is my favorite food period.

Sunday, September 26, 2010

I really cannot believe it has been over a month since I last posted! What started as a short break due to vacation and the start of school apparently ended up lasting a bit longer. Never fear, though, I am now back to stay. With a few weeks of junior year under my belt and armed with a whole new inspiration, I am ready to go; I hope you will all will jump on this boat with me!

As a matter of cleaning house, I should probably mention the new ways of my blog. I keep talking about my "new" blog, and I can assure you this is not just a teaser. I have really been working hard on launching a new site that will be more user-friendly (hopefully up and running in a bit more than a month). In it I plan to include more recipes and posts on vegan living/life in general. While I love writing long posts, I definitely think they get to be overwhelming. Therefore, I think I am going to post short things more frequently. (My favorite almond butter eater seems to have it down pat.)

How does that sound? I really want your input on what you would like to see in the future for Sweet Treats and Vegan Eats. Please, do not hesitate to request (I would love to hear your ideas though either comments or emails at manda5 at mac dot com)!

I believe that blogging is like the saying "it takes two to tango" (I may or may not be a former dancer). The blogging community is as amazing and supportive as it is because of the strong relationships between writer and reader. I am so thankful for all of you and value each and every thing you contribute (even silent blog readers contribute!)

On that note, it probably does not surprise you that I have definitely missed blogging oh so much! And now that I am back, I want to show you a bit of what is to come. While I do have lots of photos collected from my trip to NYC, I will probably just save them for a special post. My practice of yoga has really taught me to live in the moment so that is where I am going to start from in the next post. But I guess a little past muffin action first would not hurt...

Best. Muffin. Of. My. Life. (Vegan or otherwise.) I actually cried a tear of sadness when I had to leave New York, and the maker of these glorious muffins, behind. Now that is true foodie love, my friends.

What is the best thing you have ever eaten that you simply could not stop thinking about?

While I could name many other foods that beat muffins on my list of favorites, this one was like no other. I will always remember the luscious scent it radiated and the wonderful man (don't get worried, it was just my step-dad!) I was luck enough to share the experience with.